Locating devices



Sept. 8, 1959 T. 1:1 MALLISON' 2,902,969

LOCATING DEVICES Fi led Oct. 28, 1957 INVENTOR Thomas D.Mol|ison BY m ATTORNEY United Sttes Patent Ofiice 2,902,969 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 LOCATING DEVICES Thomas D. Mallison, Dallas, Tex.

Application October 28, 1957, Serial No. 692,678

3 Claims. (Cl. 116-114) This invention relates to locating devices and more particularly to a device for locating submerged brush or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for locating submerged brush or the like as an aid to fishing since certain species of fish are to be found congregating around submerged brush, trees and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved brush locator which may be lowered into the water to locate submerged brush.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved locating device for submerged brush which may be lowered into the water to locate the brush and may be easily retrieved even though it engages such submerged brush.

A further object is to provide a new and improved brush locating device having a plurality of outwardly extending resilient feelers for engaging the brush to thus indicate the presence of the brush.

A still further object is to provide a locator which may be lowered on a flexible member into the water to locate submerged brush.

Another object is to provide a locator having a plurality of pivotally mounted feeler members which may be retracted to inner positions to facilitate transport of the device and to permit the locator to move downwardly past obstructions.

A still further object is to provide a locator device having a plurality of elongate resilient feeler members pivotally mounted on a base and movable upwardly to a retracted position and a carrying case securable on the base when the feeler members are in the retracted positions.

Still another object is to provide a brush locator having a central elongate member provided at its lower end with a base member and on its upper end with .a suspending cap and having a plurality of feeler members pivotally mounted on the base and movable downwardly and outwardly from retracted positions adjacent the central member to operative positions for engaging the brush.

A still further object is to provide a brush locator of the character described wherein the suspending cap is provided with means for retaining the feeler members in retracted position.

A still further object is to provide a brush locator of the character described wherein the suspending cap is provided with means for retaining a carrying case between the base and itself to protect the feeler members during transport from one location to another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for positively holding the feelers outwardly for use when trolling from a boat.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of a brush locator embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the locator shown in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the brush locator with the carrying case removed and with the feeler members in outer operative positions.

Referring now to the drawings, the brush locator 10 includes a central elongate member or rod 11 to whose lower end is secured a base 12 which is of substantially disc shape having a disc bottom '13 and a peripheral annular flange 14 extending upwardly from the bottom 13. The central elongate member may be secured to the base 12 by being threadedly received in a suitable central bore 15 thereof. The upper inner end portion of the flange 14 of the base 12 may be provided with an upwardly and outwardly beveled shoulder 16 which serves as a supporting shoulder for feeler rods or members 20 whose lower ends are pivotally secured to the base 12 by means of a retainer member 21.

The retainer member is of substantially inverted disc shape having a domed top portion 22 provided with a dependent peripheral annular flange 23 which is telescoped in the flange 14 of the base and abuts it. The retainer 21 may be secured to the base in any suitable manner as by set screws 25. The domed top portion 22 of the retainer is provided with a plurality of radially extending slots 26 through which the feeler members 20 extend.

The feeler members are free to move between the retracted positions shown in Figure 2 and the operative or expanded positions shown in Figure 3. The feeler rods are provided at their lower ends with balls 28 which are disposed between the bottom 13 of the base and the domed portion 22 of the retainer as well as between the annular flange 23 of the retainer and the central member or rod 11 which extends through the domed portion 22 of the retainer through a suitable aperture 29 thereof located inwardly of the radial slots 26.

It will now be seen that the feeler rods or members 20 are pivotally secured to the base 12 by means of the balls 28 on the lower ends thereof and the retainer 22, the balls 28 being larger in diameter than the width of the radial slots 26.

It will also now be seen that the radially extending slots 26 permit the feeler rods 20 to move between the retracted positions shown in Figure 2 and the expanded positions shown in Figure 3, and that the outward and downward pivotal movement of the feelers 20 is limited by their engagement with the annular shoulder 16 of the base 12.

The upper end of the central rod or member 11 is threaded and is received in the threaded bore 30 of a suspending cap 31. The suspending cap 31 is provided with a disc portion 32 provided on its upper end with an upstanding flange 33 and on its opposite lower end with a disc shaped boss 34. The flange 33 of the suspending cap is provided with an aperture '35 by means of which a flexible member, such as a line, may be secured to the suspending cap whereby the brush locator may be lowered into the water. The boss 34 is provided on its lower surface with a recess providing an upwardly and inwardly beveled surface 36 which serves to cam the upper ends of the feeler rods or members 20 inwardly toward the central rod 11 when the suspending cap is screwed on the central rod 11 while the feeler rods 20 are in the retracted positions shown in Figure 2.

A cylindrical carrying case 38 may be disposed between the base 12 and the suspending cap 31 when the feeler rods are in the retracted positions to protect the feeler rods during transport of the brush locator from one location to another. The lower end of the cylinder case 38 is beveled to conform to the configuration of the 3 beveled shoulder 16 of the flange 14 of the base 12 which it abuts. The upper end of the case telescopes over the boss 34 of the suspending cap 31.

In use, the brush locator is transported to the situs where it is to be used, with the case :38 in operative protecting position between the base 12 and the suspendingcap 31. When it is desired to use the brush locator to locate submerged brush, the cap 31 is first unscrewed from the upper .end from the central rod 11. The cylindrical case 38 is then removed from the device by moving it outwardly from the base 12. The feeler rods 20 are next moved to their outward operative positions, as shown in Figure 3, being free to do so since the suspending cap is now removed from the central rod '11. The feeler rods 20 extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle of. about 30 degrees from the base 12 being held in this position by the beveled annular shoulder 16 of the base 12. The carrying case may, if desired, be repositioned on the central rod 11 and the suspending cap then screwed back upon the upper outer end of the central rod or member 11 to clamp the case in place on the rod and positively hold the feeler rods in projecting position. The flexible member or line is then secured to the suspending cap, and the brush locator is now in operative condition ready to be lowered intothe water to locate submerged brush or trees.

The operator lowers the brush locator down into the water by means of the flexible line or member and the feeler rods 2%) pivot upwardly and inwardly as they meet obstructions to permit the brush locator to move downwardly therepast. The operator'moves the locator upwardly at frequent intervals as the locator is progressively lowered deeper into the water and senses through the flexible line the engagement of any of the feeler rods 2%) with an obstruction, such .as a branch or brush, a greater force being necessary to lift the locator when the rods engage any obstructions during the upward movement of the brush locator in the water.

When it is desired to pull the brush locator upwardly out of the water, the rods 2!) being of a flexible or resilient material such as spring steel, will bend to move past obstructions such as brush or branches or limbs of submerged trees during upward movement of the locator so that the brush locator, even though it is provided with feeler rods which extend angularly upwardly therefrom and are not able to pivot dovmwardly past the positions shown in Figure 3, can be retrieved from the Water.

When the brush locator has been retrieved from the water and is not to be used anymore, the suspending cap 31 is once again unscrewed from the end of the central rod 11, the feeler rods 20 are pivoted inwardly towards the central rod 11, the carrying case 38 is telescoped over the central member and the feeler rods until its lower end abuts the annular beveled shoulder 16 of the base, and the suspending cap .31 is again screwed on the upper outer end of the central rod 11 to the position shown in Figure 2 wherein it retains the feeler rods 11 in their retracted positions and holds the cylindrical carrying case 38 in position between the base and the suspending cap 3 1.

It will be apparent that the above illustrated and described brush locator comprises a base 12 of heavy metal which tends to sink in water on which .are mounted a plurality of resilient feeler rods 20 which are capable of limited outward pivotal movement above their lower ends from a substantially vertical position perpendicular to the base to extended positions wherein they extend outwardly and upwardly at an angle from the base.

'Itvvill also be apparent that the base and feeler rods may be lowered into the water, the feeler rods pivoting inwardly upon meeting obstruction during downward movement in the water and engaging any obstructions during upward movement of the brush locator in the water and resisting such upward movement due to the engagement of the feeler rods with the shoulder 16 of the base, thus indicating by the greater force necessary to move the brush locator upwardly the presence of such obstructions in the water.

It will also be apparent that the feeler rods being of resilient substance will flex downwardly to allow upward movement of the locator past the obstruction when sufficient upward force is exerted on the'base.

It will also be apparent that the base is provided with a central rod 11 whose upper end is provided with a suspending cap by means of which the brush locator may be attached to a flexible line to be lowered thereby into .the water.

It will be further seen that the central rod 11 and the radial slots 26 of the retainer 21 of the base limit inward movement of the feeler rods and that the suspending cap is provided with an inner recess having a conical shoulder 36 for engaging the outer upper free ends ofthe feeler rods to hold them in retracted positions for transport.

It will further be seen that a cylindrical case 38 may be disposed upon the central rod and the feeler rods 20 and be held in place between the shoulder 16 and the disc 32 of the suspending cap, the boss 34 of the suspending cap telescoping into the upper outer end of the carrying case.

It will now be seen that a brush locator has been illustrated and described which is of simple economical construction, which functions efliciently to locate brush or underwater obstructions, and which is readily transportable from location to location.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for locating submerged brush and the like comprising: a cup-shaped base having a peripheral flange and a centrally disposed, upwardly extending rod-like support; and resilient feeler members pivotally mounted within said cup-shaped base and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, said feeler members having contacting engagement with the flange of said base.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said resilient feeler members are upwardly pivotable to retracted positions adjacent said rod-like support, and means on the end of said rod-like support remote from said base for engaging and retaining said resilient feeler members in said retracted positions.

3. The device of claim 2, and a tubular case removably disposed about said rod-like support and said resilient feeler members and between said base and said means for retaining said feeler rods in said retracted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,077,784 vAsbury et al. Nov. 4, 1913 

